New exhibit at 16th St. Mission BART Plaza features youth posters

New exhibit at 16th St. Mission BART Plaza features youth posters

A new exhibit has opened at Public Artspace at Plaza 16, outside the 16th St. Mission BART Station, featuring posters made by young people around the themes of peace and non-violence.

Public Artspace at Plaza 16 consists of four plexiglass-fronted bays, showcasing the work of Mission artists. This space is curated by a panel of Mission-based artists and curators, who review proposals and select work that highlights the cultural diversity and environment of the neighborhood.

The posters featured in the new exhibit were created during "Master Peace," an eight-week art course held at Intersection for the Arts and taught by Jaime Cortez to youth at partner organizations: 7 Tepees and the Boys and Girls Ernest Ingold Clubhouse. The theme of the class was creating art related to peace and non-violence. Master Peace is part of Civic Life, a collaboration between Intersection for the Arts and the Mission Community Council.

The project gave the students a chance to use their creativity to express feelings about violence, Cortez said. "It is by young people, talking to young people," he said. The images created by the students on the posters are powerful. In one by 14-year-old Joaquin G., a fist is punching a face, and the message reads: "Violence hurts." Another poster, by 11-year-old Jamal T., shows a person with his hands over his ears, tuning things out. The poster encourages: "Don’t ignore violence or bullying. Talk to someone you trust and ask them for help!"

The new exhibit will be up through the end of October.

Plaza 16 Public Gallery is a project of the Mission Community Council. The Mission Community Council (MCC) is an organization of Mission District community agencies, faith groups, neighborhood associations, and public departments that have united to sustain the Mission District.

The Council strengthens the neighborhood by expanding the community’s skill bank and by increasing opportunities for the families, and residents, of this diverse, working class, immigrant, and Latino community. For information about exhibiting your work, please contact: Rebeka Rodriguez, rebeka@theintersection.org